Combination garment



Dec. 19, 1922. N. HATCH.

COMBINATION GARMENT.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

FILED OCT. 19, I921.

'Dec. 19, 1922.

'N. HATCH.

COMBINATION GARMENT.

2 SHEETSfiSHEET 2- FILED OCT- 19, I921- INVENTOR NH THH'N HF/ TC H I BY -Lil Patented Dec. 19, i922.

NATHAN HATCH, or ALBANY, {NEW YQRK.

COMBINATION GARMENT.

Application filed October 19', 1921. Serial No. 508,779. I

To all vi /1.0 m, it 7n (151/ 11-061")! Be it known that l, NA'IIIAN llA'roH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Albany, county of Albany, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Garments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an article of wearing apparel-and more specifically to-a garment for men, women and children, par ticularly adapted for undergarments such as union suits, but not confined thereto and applicable with advantage to other types of garments union or' combination.

()ne of the objects of the invention is to provide a garment unionor combination in which it is not necessary to provide buttoning or fastening means ordinarily required to close the chest portions in garments of this type.

Another object is to provide a garment union or com ination which may be easily put on and taken off and which will fit the body of the wearer without the use of buttons or astening means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a garment having shoulder portions which may be displaced to permit the garment to be donned or removed and which 30 when worn are positioned ,to adequately cover the back and chest portions of the wearer.

With these and other objects in view the invention com )rises the garment described and illustrated in the accompanying specification and drawings and defined in the claims.

The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an elevation showing the front of a garment embodying the preferred form of my invention, the shoulder portions bein shown in substantially the position which they occupy when the garment is being worn.

ig. 2 is a similar view showing the back of another garment embodying my invention with the sleeves attached.

Fig. 50 of the garment embodying my invention fitted to a model of the human body to show the position taken by the garment when being worn. A

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the same, in other respects similar to Fig. 3.

ping seat portions common to 3 is a front view of the upper portionv application Serial No. 488,557, filed July- 3()th, 1921, and in respect to which this application is a continuation.

In the present invention the shoulder portions. and the chest and upper back portions of the garment are formed of flaps which cross and overlap in the-lower front and upper back portions in such a manner that when in the upright position which they occupy when worn, they cover the chest, shoulders wearer, leaving a neck opening of the usual size, but may be folded sldeways out of position to enable the garment "to be put on or removed. For this purposethe inner edges of the flaps extend from a point near the upper portion of onel shoulder blade, pass over the shoulder on the opposite side of the neck and then diagonally downward and cross each other, forming overlapping portions which are joined in a suitable manner to the body portion of the trunk. The length ofthe flaps are so proportioned that the flaps may be folded sidewise out of position without harmfully stretching the fabric of which the garment is made. The garment may therefore be made of any suitable material either knitted or woven, such as nainsook, and may be provided with long or short leg portions and with or without'sleeves. The garment may be finished in the usual way with ribbed ends and the arm and neck portions of the flaps are provided with the usual border. The garment may be provided with the fly and overlapunion suits.

ferring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the front portion of the garment is provided with two flaps l0 and 12 which are joined at their .upper edges l t and 16 with substantially shorter flaps of the back portion of the garment to form shoulder straps and which merge. at their lower portions with the body of the trunk portion of the garment. The outer edges 18 and .20 of the flaps extend downwardly and are joined at 22 and 24 to the back portion of the garment to form openings for the arms, while the inner edges, 26 and 28 of the front flaps extend diagonally downward to the points 30 and 32, crossing at the point 34 on the medial line of the garand upper back portions of the v in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, being no tendency for the flaps to work The lower overfiaps are oined at the n'ck, of thewearer. lapping portions of the their lower edges to the trunk port-ion of the garment on a common line 36. p

The inner edges 46 and 48 of the shorter back flaps extend from the shoulder to the points 40 and 42 situated on a line 45 drawn horizontally across the shoulder blades, crossing at the point 44 which is thus situated 6 to 8 inches higher than the point 34. The distance between the points 40 and 42 is substantially equal to the distance between the points 30 and '32.

The length and inclination of the inner,

edges are so proportioned that the opening above the point 34 is substantially the same as in an ordinary shirt orsuit, the overlapping portions of the flaps effectively covering the part of the garment usually closed by means of button'or other fastenlng devices. It will be apparent that when worn, the inner edges 26 and 28 on the front of the garment and '46 and 48' on the back of the garment are drawn by the weight of the garment and by the form of the body of the wearer into theirnormal position as shlpwn t ere apart or out of their true position.

The garment may be made in any suitable manner. A convenient method of forming the garment is to knit or weave the garment in such a way that one of the flaps, 12, for example,--is knitted directly to the body portion of the trunk of the garment while the part of the other flap 1O spanning the distance from thenearest end of the seam 36 "to the leftside of the garment is similarly secured to the trunk portion, the flaps being separated or cut on a line corresponding to theedges 28 and 48. These flapsare, of course, edged by means of a suitable band or border 52.

The dimensions ofthe garment may be .modified and adapted to suit particular circumstances, but in general the length of the seams 36 and 46 are each approximately one-quarter to one third of the entire width of the garment, this'proportion giving the desired covering of the chest and shoulder portions while permitting the flaps to be folded sideways when the garment is being put on and taken ofl.

With the improved construction described above when the garment is adjusted in place on the body of .the wearer, the front and rear flaps fit naturally onto the contour of the'body of the wearer and remain in their normal position forming a neat and smooth fitting-garment. There is, therefore, no tendency for the overlapping portions of these flaps to open and theback and chest ofthe wearer is covered without the necessity of using buttons or other faspart to another by seams.

to permit the garment to be put on without stretching or distorting the garment out of its proper shape.

It is, of course, apparent that the use of seams depends upon the cut of the garment and the material utilized. The material of the garment may be cut so as to enable the front and back to be made of one continuous piece, thus eliminating the joining of one entire suit can be cut in such a manner that the top and bottom present one entire continuous fabric, without a seam in the center or between the upper and lower portion of the suit. It is obvious therefore that when the garment is cut in one continuous length, the joining is an integral one and not accomplished by means of seams.

The opening in the back is substantially less. than that in the front as the back flaps are so cut that the point 44 and juncture 45 will be raised several inches, say six to eight inches higher than the point 34 and juncture 36 with the result that the back is much moreclosed and all gaping is practically avoided. The openings, either front or back, may of course be placed higher or lower as suits the wishes or taste of the wearer or manufacturer without departing from the spirit and principle of my invention. It is essential, however, that one juncture be situated or placed at a substantially higher posi tion on the garment than the other.

From the above it will be apparent that the garment is economical of manufacture and is particularly adapted for summer wear, the back of the wearer being practically covered by a single thickness of material. The front of the garment is provided with a minimum amount of overlapping, the front overlapping flaps being situated where extra thicknesses: of clothing are not only desirable but often beneficial.

' When the garment is made of woven fabric, such as nainsook, the flaps may be formed by the insertion of triangular gussets and in general seams are necessary at the juncture of the flaps with the other portions of the garment, either front or back, and a seam may be employed in joining the trunk with the leg portion of the garment. hen the garment is not made of woven fabric, the ,use of seams tr a large extent is eliminated. It is within the skill of the workers of this art to knit a continuous fabric into the shape shown without necessitating the joining of the trunk to the leg Furthermore, the

portions of thegarment by means of seams. It is only necessary to secure the lower edges of the flaps both at the back and the front by a seam.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a combination garment, a trunk portion, front and back flaps joined respectively thereto, the said flaps having their inner edges crossing each other to form overlapping portions at the front and at the back, the lower edges of the overlapping portions at "the front being joined to the trunk portion, and the lower edges of the overlapping portions at the back being joined to the upper portion of the buck, the juncture at the back being situated substantially higher than the uncture at the front.

2. In a combination garment, a trunk portion, flaps secured thereto, said flaps having overlapping portions joined at the lower edges to the body of said garment at the front and also to the body of the garment at the back, the inner edges of said flaps crossing each other at-the front'and back, the two junctures being situated respectively in different-horizontal planes one substantially above the other.

3. In a combination garment, a trunk ortion, two front flaps joined thereto at t eir lower edges and overlapping in their lower portions, the inner edges of said flaps crossing to form a triangular opening at the front above said overlapping portions, and rear flaps similarly overlapping and joined at stantially higher than the juncture on the opposing side. v

I n'witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand at the boroughof Manhattan, city, county and State of New York, this 15th day of October, 1921.

NATHAN HATCH. 

